State stocking rivers, streams with trout

Local fishermen can expect to see more trout swimming in Middlesex County rivers and streams.

JOHN CHRISTIE

Published
12:00 am EDT, Monday, September 23, 2002

The state Department of Environmental Protection's Inland Fisheries Division has started stocking more than 47,000 adult sized trout into 23 streams and 32 lakes throughout the state.

"This stocking program is intended to provide Connecticut anglers with excellent fishing opportunities throughout the fall season," DEP Commissioner Arthur Rocque said in a written statement. "In addition to recently stocked fish, our biologists report an exceptional number of large holdover trout in some rivers."

DEP Fisheries Resources Technician Bill Foreman said the fall stocking's purpose is not only to replenish trout that have been caught, but also to replace those killed due to the water temperatures and shallow waters during the summer.

"Even in the Salmon River we've had a few fish kills," Foreman said.

According to preliminary numbers provided by Foreman, the Salmon River running through East Hampton and Haddam Neck will be stocked with 2,200 trout, Cedar Lake in Chester will be stock with about 1,400 trout, Pattaconk Lake in Chester will be stocked with 400 trout, Bashan Lake in East Haddam will be stocked with 400 trout and Black Pond in Middlefield will be stocked with 800 trout.

With only a limited number of trout left in the fisheries each fall, many water bodies such as the Coginchaug River will not be restocked at all.

"We have to pick and choose where the trout will go," Foreman said.

"If we tried to spread it out everywhere there wouldn't be very much fish in each water body."

The DEP should be finished stocking by Oct. 15.

For more information on where trout will be stocked visit the DEP's Web site at www.dep.state.ct.us.